Garcia has made an effort to learn the English language in a bid to fit in and said: "For me it is so important to speak with my team-mates, and from the beginning it was so difficult.

"At the training ground I like to joke with my team-mates. At the beginning that was difficult, but now I can speak a little bit with my friends.

"When you feel good off the pitch, you feel better on it. Maybe this season after Christmas I have done my job better.

"When you play regularly, you can show your quality, and the most important thing for me is to win three points and keep working for the Premier League title.

"I try to hear nothing from the fans! Maybe six months ago, 10 months ago, people maybe didn't say anything good to me and now I try to do my job.

"Now maybe the fans are happier with me, but I just try to do my job, and I try to do the same things I did six months ago.

"I feel better now in the country, in the team and in the club."

DRIVING FORWARD: After Saturday's hard-fought win over Hull, City know they will go top if they win their games in hand [GETTY]

Manuel Pellegrini's men bounced back from successive defeats to overcome Hull last weekend with 10-men after captain Vincent Kompany saw red.

It means City now trail leaders Chelsea by six points but have three games in hand and Garcia insists they are now fully focused on regaining the title after crashing out of the FA Cup and Champions League in quick succession.

“If we had lost at Hull it would have been so difficult for us. Chelsea don't lose so many points, and we have to go top of the table again”

Javi Garcia

He added: "If we had lost at Hull it would have been so difficult for us. Chelsea don't lose so many points, and we have to go top of the table again.

"We have played three games less, and if we win the three games we will be top.

"That is so important after losing in the FA Cup and Champions League. Now we have a week to focus on the Premier League.

"All the players here have good experience in England, and here it is always like this with two or three games this week.

"We have a big squad and the boss has a lot of choice to make his eleven."